Critic Reviews

This is the perfect adventure game, featuring awesome gameplay that never gets stale, an evocative atmosphere, exciting action, mind-bending puzzles and secrets and four engaging and chilling storylines in one of the best Castlevania games ever.

I’m not going to beat around the bush hear! This game is good, but one of the most damn annoying ones I’ve played for quite some time. Some sections in this game really do test your patience. The fact is, in some cases there is absolutely no room for error. I’ve actually got so p****d off while playing this game, I broke one of my pads when I got ripped off trying one of the levels. As far as I can remember, I’ve been sliced, diced, fried, squashed, spiked, melted, cooked… keep your wits about you. It may be annoying, but it won’t change the fact that it’s a totally brilliant game that I can’t begin to recommend enough.

Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness is what Castlevania 64 should have been. The additional storylines expand on the lore well, and the gameplay fixes make even going through the older quest much more enjoyable. While later games in the series would do 3D much better, this one is still an entertaining romp. Bury Castlevania 64 in a shallow grave, and grab this one instead.

Castlevania: LOD is a very good game if you are a fan of the original N64 entry, but don't already own it. For those that do own the first or didn't like it to begin with, this special edition version isn't worth the price or second effort.

Complaints aside, Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness is exactly what it sets out to be: a better version of the original. If you loved the first one, there's enough added value to justify picking this game up, even though it feels a little dated now, and its price is pretty steep. But if you're one of those people who felt that Castlevania should've never made the jump into 3D, Legacy of Darkness will do only a little more than the original in convincing you otherwise.

This year comes Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness, a pseudo sequel to the series' N64 original. We say pseudo because the game is more of an upgrade to last year's effort than it is a full-blown sequel, offering many of the same characters, weapons and even levels of Castlevania (64). But there are a few notable improvements worth mentioning, primarily the addition of a handful of new levels and characters, plus new storylines and different quests per character. Is it all worth another $60, though? As far as we're concerned, only if you've never played the original.

Basically, Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness winds up short of being a worthy N64 title to add to a collection. In essence, the latest incarnate translates as a 'been there, done that' type of title and I can’t say that I like it at all. A rental could keep gamers busy for a few days, but only if they can put up with shot controls and muddy pace. If you’re looking for a Castlevania game, my suggestion is to pick up a copy of Symphony of the Night; (or Rayman 2 for a solid adventure game).